Teen Suffers Skull Fracture, Broken Jaw in Gang Member Beating

Two Largo men are in jail after severely beating a teenager who they mistakenly thought threw something at their car, according to Largo Police.

Efrain Bermudez, 24, and Juan Ramon Gomez-Torres, 29, were driving along 142nd Avenue around 11:30 p.m. July 12 when they thought a 16-year-old walking by the road threw something at their vehicle, police said.

Bermudez, who goes by the alias JR, stopped the car and then, he and Gomez started yelling at the teen who tried to run, according to investigators.

They caught up to him, repeatedly kicking and punching the boy.

Bermudez pulled Gomez-Torres off the victim in order to beat the boy some more, according to police. They also took the boy’s cell phone, police said.

Bermudez and Gomez-Torres, who are gang members, admitted to “scuffling” with the victim but denied taking the phone, according to investigators.

The victim had a skull fracture that needed emergency surgery as well as a broken jaw.

The victim, who is not being named because of his age, was taken to All Children’s Hospital where he was treated for severe and life-threatening injuries.

Bermudez and Gomez-Torres were arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse and strong arm robbery July 24.